Maya- The water alchemist
by Edwardelrickay
Summary: Maya is the oldest of 3 daughters to a father who studies alchemy. When his dreams of having a son are dashed he uses his eldest in a transmutation that ultimately fails, causing her to have the ability to turn into water - and perform alchemy without a circle. As she begins her own search to return to her original body she crosses paths with the Elric brothers. Will they help her?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Alchemy. It was so interesting and complex and I wanted to learn it with all my heart. My father was an alchemist, so I had dreamed of studying with him for years! But he wouldn't hear of it. He said to me once, 'Girls can't do alchemy.' But I knew I could. I've tried it, you see. I help my father in his lab. I do the boring chores of lifting, moving and cleaning. But I always watched him closely and read over his shoulder. He never knew. He never will.

The first time I tried alchemy I had snatched a book from his study after he'd asked me to tidy his desk. The book was a tome of basic alchemy. At first, I found it hard to read. It was complicated, and dry - but interesting. I had read the book cover to cover and my first transmutation was making a flower pot for my mom. She loved it. She promised not to tell father. She knew how much I loved working with him. She would often have heated discussions with him, trying to convince him to teach me. He always said no.

My father is a smart man, but he's not very nice. I understand though. All he wants, most in the world, is a son - to pass on all his research. So, in hopes of appealing to his dreams I pretend I am the son he's never had. My mom understands. She helps me trim my hair short, and goes into town to buy me trousers. She's always sad when she helps me, but I know she understands. For my 15th birthday she said she'll buy me a dress. I'll save it for a special occasion, but I have to keep up appearances, in case father let's me study!

But then my mom had her. She was with child again, and she was due. My father so hoped for a son. He knew it was going to be a boy! He was ecstatic. I was putting my younger sister to bed when mom started to deliver. Father went to get the doctor, but she moved along too quickly. I helped mother deliver my new sister. But before father came home, my mom passed. He was silent all night; he didn't say a word. He just sat there next to the fire, fingering his ring. I was too shocked to sleep so I sat behind him at the table, staring at the grains in the wood all night. The next morning my moms friend came over and talked to father about my younger sister, Sarah and the new baby. They knew the situation well from mom. They'd come to take them off dads hands. They asked me if I wanted to come, but I said no. "He might need my help with his research. I need to be here. Take care of my sisters."

After that I never saw them. Father kept me busy while he researched all hours of the day. I figured he was getting close to figuring out the problem he was working on. I had an idea what it might be. I didn't like it, but I suspected.

On my 15th birthday he hollered up to me from the basement.

"Maya! Come quick! It's time!"

All my doubts were washed away! This was it! Father was going to let me study with him! At last!

I ran down the stairs in my trousers and white work shirt. My hair had started to grow out a little bit, it hung a little loose around my neck, but it was too short for a pony tail.

"Yes father?!" I said, a wide brim smile spread eagle across my face. My hands rung themselves as I nervously waited his attention.

"Maya, it is time." He said with a crocked smile. He looked at me as he said this but his eyes shifted quickly to the doorway. "Shut the door."

I did as I was told and quickly returned to his side at his dusty, cluttered desk. My hands couldn't stay still. They began to shake and I had to shove them in my pockets to contain my excitement.

"I need you to assemble these materials for me." He handed me a list on a torn piece of paper.

'Water, carbon, hydrogen, salt' I was a little confused. Why would I be gathering materials? Was he going to teach me a transmutation? I quickly fetched them from the store cabinet and returned with all the ingredients. He quickly measured them out, spilling ingredients as he poured, his own hands shook violently.

"Maya, I need you to take this tray to the centre of the circle over there. It is time to see how my transmutation will work. You've been a fine helper all these years. Now lets see what WE can do. hmm?"

He passed me the tray and I gingerly gripped the sides and brought it over to the circle. I could hardly wait! It was true! He was going to show me his research! He was going to finally teach me! I moved to step out of the circle when he held up his hand.

"Maya, stay there. It's not ready yet."

I crossed my eyebrows. Why would he want me to stay here. That was dangerou-

Blue light suddenly flashed around me and my feet were anchored to the floor.

"Father! Wait!" I cried out. But over the noise of the transmutation crackling around the room I suppose he couldn't hear me. I tried to move my feet when suddenly long black tendrils shot from the floor and started to wind their way up my legs. I screamed!

"Father! Help! Please! Stop the transmutation!" I shouted at the top of my lungs but my father just stared at me with a glint in his eyes and a grin plastered across his face. He wasn't teaching me... he was using me... to make a son.

The last thing I remember is his face glaring at me from outside the transmutation circle as I screamed in pain. My body was being taken, remoulded and I could do nothing to stop it. Pain... Darkness... Silence... then...

 **Hey! Im back with new ideas and I hope you enjoy them. I've been working on my writing over the past few years and hope to get back into writing not only fan fictions for practice but my own works too. You can see those on BookRix. Just search Tale from Afar! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. More to come as soon as I get some homework done.**

 **Disclaimer - I don't own FullMetal Alchemist or any of its characters.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Pain. Searing pain. Everywhere. My body ached. One moment it felt like I could reach out, even attempt to drag myself forward. Then, nothing. It felt like I was floating. Pulsing. Ebbing. Then the pain would return ten fold and I felt like I could reach, reach towards something. I didn't know what. I tried to open my eyes but then a bright light would seer my vision and I'd cry out in more pain. Then - pulse.

My mind felt muddled. Like one moment I could remember who I was and what I was doing before the pain, then I'd suddenly forget and I couldn't think at all. Just eb and flow. Then It'd come back again. Back and forth, back and forth.

I heard a noise.

"AHHHhhhhh!"

I cringed. It hurt my ears terribly to hear the scream that came from in front of me.

"It - it worked! At last!" A manic laugh pieced the space around me. The only other noises were the steam from the transmutation and the discharge from the alchemical reaction. The laugh ended in a gurgle cough and a loud thud.

"Fa-ther?" I called out, trying to form the words before I couldn't control my movements.

"Fa—" pulse. Pain. "Ther…"

I attempted to look again, to see beyond the brightness of the room. I cracked open my eye lids, despite the pain it caused me and tried to focus. I saw my hand, laying in front of me, outstretched. Eb. I couldn't see. I couldn't think. I couldn't stretch.

Pain racked my limbs like an electrical current flowing through my nervous system. I opened my eyes again. My hand, the edge of the circle. A figure lay sprawled on the floor covered in blood. It was unmoving. Flow.

Why couldn't I control my body? Why was I, for lack of a better word, disappearing? What had happened. The pain returned again and this time I tried to hold myself together. I mentally imagined my body as a solid object, unmoving. I remained like this for as long as I could. When my mind faltered, distracted by a crackle from the discharges around me, I would lose the battle and - pulse.

I tried again. My body shivered as sensation returned to my limbs and core. Solid perception. Statue. Stone! Anything. I flashed these images before my mind in a constant reel. Statue, stone, sculpture, statue, stone sculpture, statue… I stretched my arm again, maintaining an image of a moving statue in my mind. My hand moved forward about an inch. Good progress.

Again, picturing a moving stone figure, I moved my other arm to prop it beneath my body in an attempt to sit up. As I did this, I noticed the dark patches of stain beneath where I had lain. They weren't red,; it wasn't blood. They were a darker shade of the floor I lay on; almost as if water had been split. Mistake - flow. My vision suddenly dropped as it winked out of focus and I couldn't feel my limbs as I once had.

'WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ME!' my mind screamed once I could think again. This was beginning to wear on my nerves! I couldn't move, I couldn't think. The only thing helping me to maintain any form it seemed was thinking I was of a solid substance!

I wreathed in a blanket of pain for a length of time that felt like eons. In reality it was about 3 days. I wouldn't know this until I was well enough to leave the house. But then, I didn't even do that till I'd figured out what had happened to my body and felt with the blood stained body who had been my father.

The events of that day were forever burned into my memory. The way my father had betrayed my trust and deepest affections for him left a gaping chasm where once my ability to love and feel were held. The constant reminder came from the body he had changed, a body in constant flux of composition between human and hydrogen bonds. I basically had a body that could be manipulated into any water compound - to put it simply, I could turn into water.

Something else I learned over this lonely, excruciating time, came as another painful shock. When I tried to move my fathers body, no matter how much mind control I mustered, I could not hold my human shape. I could not feel the embrace of another human, could not come into constant with the warm hands that could offer me help. I was utterly alone now. Thanks to him. I was alone and broken like the bonds within my body. He'd taken that from me. So heartlessly ripped my life and dreams from me to fulfil his dying wish… to have a son. And although his last words were' it worked, at last', he had not gotten a son… He hadn't gotten anything. My body was altered from its original state and now fluctuated between the element most abundant in the human body - water, and its original form. I wasn't really anything in my opinion. If no one could touch me without me falling to bits then I didn't consider myself human.

I treated his remains the way I felt. I dragged them out of the house and buried them in an unmarked hole in the back. I dumped his research on top and rolled a rock into place atop the mark. It wasn't until I returned to my room for the first time in a week, when I lay in a heaping mess atop my bed, gazing across the room at my desk where a worn, dusty book lay, that I realized there was one thing I could still do, still call my own. Maybe it would help me find the answers I was looking for. Maybe.

 **Yay! Chapter 2 is up! Thanks so much for following me! You've inspired me to keep writing! I hope you enjoyed the read! Stay tuned!**

 **Disclaimer, I don't own any characters or ideas from FullMetal Alchemist. Just pure** **inspired!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Rule one is to not transmute gold. Rule two is to not transmute humans. Why? Well besides these being military rules, they are immoral. I have no need to transmute gold. I am not money hungry. I have no need to resurrect anyone. It wasn't my own desires that gave me this body. I was suffering the sins of another, related by blood. The sins of my father.

It was true, I no longer had a true human body. Sure my body composition was essentially the same, but it was altered. I am now able to rearrange the bonds within my body to form an entire being of water, hydrogen and oxygen molecules, which allowed me to morph my shape and become a puddle of water, basically. I had some control over the movement of these molecule. I guess it would take time before I became fully aware of everything I could do and to maximize the capacity of each ability I attained.

As I wandered around my empty home reading alchemy books and making notes I left behind patches of water marks where I had attempted to manipulate my composition and learn more about what my new body could do. There were limitations of course. If I lost concentration on my physical being remaining whole I would often melt into a pool of water before I could regain conscious thought. At first this caused me a great deal of pain, but as time wore on I gained some control on the order in which my tissues and organs reassembled and I was able to reduce the pain to a minor discomfort - most of the time. I still had much to learn.

The alchemy books were useful to some extent. Few mentioned an illusive content that enabled the alchemist to perform great deeds without adhering to the law of equivalent exchange. Some called it the philosophers stone. Others, the elixir of life. All in all, a catalyst in alchemical transmutations that allowed one to bypass the law of conservation of mass and the law of natural providence.

There was also mention of artificial human beings. Not much was mentioned except that they were forbidden, even in literature. Curious. I could recall the transmutation circle father had used to make me what I was, it seemed to have similar elements. He had understood the human body's composition, and deconstructed it and reconstructed it with all the elements present. He's just rearranged all the systems in place and gave me the ability to break the bonds my body held in place to maintain a structure that functioned in a particular way. But...

It was a big but... If I could make a new body, then maybe I could transfer my soul to it, and discard this. However there were no guarantees that I would accept the new body. It was too risky.

New Idea. What if I could reverse the process? What if I could undue what my father had done? How, was a better question that defined the process I was looking for. All of this would be easier if I could find this stone.

After weeks of reading all my fathers books cover to cover and ripping out important pages and burning the others I came to the conclusion that if I could attain my original body then I could live the rest of my life in peace.

During this time I continued to mourn my mother's death. She had been my biggest supporter in all the efforts I'd put into believing my father would teach me. In a roundabout way he had. But I should have put my faith in her, I now realized this. Maybe things would have turned out differently.

Outside the weather was grey, and breezy. Dark, rain filled clouds began to roll in from the south and the trees that surrounded my secluded house on the boarders of Cameron, in the East region of Amestris. I stared at the clouds, unmoving, as they began to let loose the fat drops of water from their bellies and bathed the earth bellow them in the richness of life. I sighed as the soil outside soaked up the moisture like a greedy elephant.

I wished I could cry. I had found out, through mourning over my loses over the last few weeks, that although I was a being of water, I couldn't release it. I couldn't shed tears.

My emotions felt bottled up inside and I couldn't release them properly. On the inside I was a raging storm of hail and rain. On the outside I was a stoic statue carved of marble... Unless I was a puddle of water. Ha - ha ha, maybe I should cry by becoming a puddle. That'd be ironic.

I turned from the window and cast a wandering glance about my room. It was littered with papers from the torn alchemy books and my own personal belongings. My clothes hung, abandoned in the closet. The dress my mom had boughten me still wrapped in paper in the box she'd brought it home in. I refused to wear it now. It wasn't who I was. Neither were the work shirt and trousers I used to wear with my father. I now clung to a pair of loose fitting leggings that were the colour of a rich green pasture and a cream coloured blouse. I tied a belt around my waste and gathered up the papers of interest, folding them into a bundle and tied it with string. I found a leather bag stashed in my mothers wardrobe and threw it inside. It was time for me to travel, and search. Time for me to move. Time to find my original body.

 **Well here's a third chapter! Thank you for following my writing! You've inspired me to write more! Stay tuned for further adventures with Maya and the Elrics. Don't worry, they're coming!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

' _Ywaaaaannnn_.' I stretched my aching legs before me, shaking my muddy boots to remove the caked layers of soil and grass that had migrated there during my early travels.

I stared at the ground in front of my feet and felt a shiver run through my body. I was cold - I think. I couldn't really feel the temperature around me. It was as if I'd adapted to the climate I was in, like a cold blooded animal. I could feel little pain; my senses were obscured by the presence of molecules that could alter their bonds with a thought. It was sort of like this: if I stepped on a rock the wrong way, instead of tripping and falling, it was as if my leg absorbed the shock, landing around the stone. Then, when I lifted my leg off of it, it would return to its original state. My body softened around harder objects, when I was consciously aware of them. If I was caught by surprise, I still felt it like normal. It's impact on my tissues was minute though. A bruise lasted only a few seconds, then disappeared as the molecules reformed the damaged tissues.

In a nut shell, feeling pain other than my own nervous system reconnecting to the system network of my body, was non existent. The log I presently sat on did not transmit any information to my brain about texture, moisture, movement, or vibration.

Out of habit, I took a stretch, extending my arms high above my head. I brought my hands back down and stared at my palms, thinking about all I've learned about alchemy so far.

 _'I wonder if I can still perform alchemy with this body?_ ' I thought through the circles in my repertoire, thinking of something simple to try out.

I began to rummage in my leather sack for the materials to draw. When I grabbed the chalk a sudden flash of light emitted from my hand and the chalk morphed from its straight shape to that of a fragile flower.

I jumped back, dumbfounded. ' _What was that!?_ '

The chalk flower fell to the ground beside my bag.

' _But, I hadn't even drawn a circle... This doesn't make sense...'_

I crawled forward towards the bag and picked it up. Examining the flower, I noticed the edges were smooth and refined. It was unflawed in composition. The thing that didn't make sense was that no circle was used to make it... well, no circle was drawn - true. But I had thought of it as I was looking for the chalk. I had imagined it. I had thought about drawing it with my hand, picturing the chalk and the circle that I aimed to make.

I looked at my palms again, looking at the surface. I tried to imagine the circle - looking for evidence... evidence of something that would make this make sense. I watched the surface of my palm and imagined the circle once more. Slowly, with much concentration, the circle I was picturing began to appear, glowing faintly, in my skin. I could see the circle, the runes, the lines connecting and forming the exact circle that would be drawn with my chalk to direct the transmutation.

An idea came into my mind, popping like a light bulb with too much energy. I reeled around and looked at the log. It sat there, moss on one side, nubs from branches sticking out at odd angles, the top surface worn smooth by the elements. That log could make a whole table, a chair, anything! I crawled over to the log, thought of a transmutation circle - complete with runes and held my hand, quivering, over the logs surface. With a sudden flinch like movement I touched the surface of the log and crackling, blue light flashed before me. The log morphed and the air around me buzzed with alchemical power.

When I removed my hand, the log that I had sat on not 5 minutes before, was now a chair... with a plush cushion on it. My lips cracked into a wide seam that nearly split my face in two. I could perform alchemy, at a high skill level, without a circle! This was amazing.

I thought about another circle, one that would deconstruct the compounds found in the soil and reform them into a useful utensil. Maybe I'd try a bowl, to eat from. I could see the circle glowing inside my palm, then placed it firmly into the ground before me. Light flashed, the ground shifted and when I lifted my palm, a smooth, glazed bowl sat before me as if polished and ready to eat from.

"Wow!" I shouted out loud! There was nothing in the surrounding landscape to hear my apparent excitement.

My voice dissolved into the empty plains. I glanced about, wishing I could share this with someone, my mother, my sister. Anyone...

I picked up the bowl and examined the detailes. I could practice, to make more detailed works. I could personalize anything in more defined features than other alchemists. I attributed this to the link it seemed to have with my thoughts. It appeared to me that all I had to do was think of a circle, which rearranged the molecules in my palm, formulating the transmutation circle required for alchemy.

I've never heard of it! Well, almost. There was rumoured to be a state alchemist, young in age, that had similar abilities. I began to wonder, would I run into him? Was my ability similar to his? And why did he work with the military? How did he get the ability.

I couldn't even begin to think of another way to gain this ability. I could barely remember the experiences during the transmutation my father exacted on me. Maybe it had something to do with that? I needed to learn more. I needed to find out what this other alchemist knew. I need to find him, and ask him to teach me more.

For the time being, I thought about rest. I thought about food. I began to make a fire, to cook some stew and sat on the newly formed chair and gazed deeply into the fire, their flames dancing as the sun began to set. My journey was taking some shape. I'd find this alchemist, wherever he might be, and learn more, to find a way to get my body back. Despite my new finds, I still wanted to be normal, to feel the things around me. But for now, I wanted to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

East City, the hub of traffic and travel in the East Area. It was fairly quiet for a city centre. That's what the Elrics liked about it. With all their travels and missions, thanks to the Colonel, they enjoyed the quiet rests in between as they filed their reports and caught up on local news. That was, until the wanted assassin Scar came to town. Somehow, they'd gotten on his revenge list and we're trying to stay off his radar.

"Brother, Why don't we just leave town for a while. We could do some research in central until he leaves town." Alphonse explained.

"You don't get Al, He's not going to forget about us. There's a reason why he hates Alchemists. No matter where we go, he'll still want us."

"I guess. But it'd be better then hiding out here. We're not getting any leads from locking ourselves in."

"It's just a matter of time, Al. Then the Colonel will clear this mess up and we'll be on our way." Edward and Alphonse Elric we're currently hiding out in a lodge on the border or East City. They had run into Scar once already and had narrowly escaped in one piece. They were currently assessing the situation when a sudden shudder ran through their building.

"What was that brother? Could it be him?" Al called from the window? He couldn't see anything outside from the direction the window was facing, only empty streets.

"I dunno. It certainly wasn't an earthquake." Ed ran to the other wall without windows and clapped his hands. A bright light flashed and a new whole in the wall formed, fully equipped with glass and fancy shutters.

"Oh brother."

"What? It's called taste Al." He peered out the newly formed window and saw a pile of rubble across the street spilling out from an alley.

"Looks like he'd found a new target. Is there another state alchemist in town?"

"I don't know brother. I didn't think there was."

Ed gasped as he watched the alley way across the street. A clear bulge was coming out of the street cobbles and was rising into a human shape. Then a figure came into focus and a person clad in green leggings and a cream top with leather straps wrapped around her waist stood there, looking as solid as ever. She bound down the street and disappeared around the corner.

"Al, did you see that?!"

"yea, that wasn't normal was it?"

"No. Let's go check it out."

"But, what about scar?"

"Maybe she needs help. We'd be better off with more than one person anyway fighting him. Come on, let's go."

Ed made a door next to the window and they dashed outside.

I don't know what set the large tanned man off. I'd never before seen him in my life. I'd just entered the city and began looking for a place to lodge, when I realized I didn't have any money, so I found an alley with some trash and thought I'd transmute a shelter. Kneeling down I placed my hand on the pile and light flashed in front of my eyes.

Behind me the light from the street darkened and a large tanned man in a white shirt and glasses blocked the alley.

"Alchemy is a sin before God, And yet you preform it without a Circle. You must work with the military." His voice was deep and filled with anger.

I jumped back and tried to explain. "No, wait. I-"

He didn't wait. "I'll purge it from this god forsaken world."

He came at me, right arm extended, hand reaching for me. I jumped back and side stepped, trying to avoid whatever he was reaching for. He was fast though, faster than me and got hold of my left arm. "Pray". He said. Suddenly red light flashed and I was thrown back in a cloud of steam. I rolled our of the alley and gazed at my arm. It was still intact, bruised and steaming, but undamaged. Soon even that would be gone.

I got up quickly and dodged a second attack. I fell backwards, half somersaulting half falling out into the street. He touched the ground before him and the ground buckled beneath me. I turned myself to water and let myself seep through the crevices and flow out of the alley with the gravity and with a conscious effort, between the cobbles and out into the street. I reformed my body and dashed down the street. Maybe I could outrun him.

"Brother! Did you see that?" Al called to Edward as they dashed out into the street to the aid of the mysterious girl.

"Yes, but I don't know what I saw...Perhaps..." Ends brow was creased in thought. Al understood his doubt 100%. He'd never seen the like before in his life. The girl had vanished and then a bubbling mass of what looked like water reformed behind the rubble that was the street and ran away!

"Do you think she could be a-"

"A chimera? I've never heard of a chimera with the ability to melt." Ed said as they quickly dashed after the girl. Scar seemed to have taken an alternative route as he was no longer in the alley where he had approached the girl.

"What about a-"

"Homunculus? Maybe..." Ed responded before Al could get the words out. He sure did think fast. Al knew that's why others thought he was a prodigy. But he knew why, he knew it was because of the truth and he had it too, because he'd seen just as much. What he didn't know was where this girl was from and what sort of ability did she have that enabled her to combat with Scar.

As they rounded the corner, they came to a bridge that spanned a gutter system between 2 factory buildings on the edge of east city. Ed and Al stopped suddenly as they came into view of the girl poised on the bridge, Scar stationed before her, blocking her way.

"How did he get up there?" Al asked, perplexed.

"That doesn't matter, He's there and she doesn't stand a chance."

Maya dashed for the bridge, hoping to escape the scared mans notice and hide before he could catch up. She stepped lightly onto the bridge and a shadow flipped over the railing from beneath and barred her way. There stood the Scared man, tall and muscular, tanned skin and glasses. He was very intimidating, but his moves, she noticed, were very predictable. He always aimed for the kill, the grab and hold. He needed time. She had the advantage.

He stepped forward and raised his arm to grip her. She ducked and kicked out, landing a strike at his rib cage. He wasn't phased as she barely weighed enough to hurt, but she managed to show she was faster than him. He backed away from her leg and repositioned himself between her and the other side of the bridge. He threw himself at her, this time she absorbed his hand and leaned into him, punching his glasses clear off his face. She stumbled backwards as he recovered, wiping his brow from the sudden exposure to the light. He had red eyes.

There was history here. She could feel it. She new about the war; the civil war between Ishbal and Amestris. Her father had served for a short time in that war. He'd come back a different man. But he'd come back. He barely hesitated as he approached her again, this time more furiously. She cartwheeled and dodged, learning to turn part of herself fluid to avoid the attacks and trying to land a blow that would incapacitate him. She bounced around the badge, edging backwards with each attack. He was taking the advantage.

As she wheeled backwards again, avoiding his griping hand from scratching her face and Swiped her leg forward under his arm, this time trying a new method of thinking of her flesh as a solid - as hard as ice. When she made contact she heard a crunch as her shin landed into his ribs and this time he stumbled back, gripping his side. She nearly landed into Ed and Al as she recovered from her roll.

"Hey!" Ed called. "Do you need help?"

She wanted to keep her eyes on the Scared man; she couldn't let him take her by surprise. "I'm trying to fight, if you haven't noticed. I'm fine." She grumbled.

Al stumbled forward into the conversation. "He uses alchemy. You should be careful. We need to get you out of here."

"What does he have against you anyway!?" Ed growled. "Are you a State Alchemist?" His voice was full of conviction, as if the idea was an attack to his pride.

"I don't qualify to be one. That's not why he cares. Don't get in my way." She dashed to the right and rolled as Scar approached once more. Ed and Al looked at each other as they a served her fight off Scar.

"You have to admit brother, she does have skill to keep this up for this long. I don't think even you -"

"Shut up Al. He took my arm off last time. There was no way I could fight back. Let's not drag in old stories. She's letting him hit her! That's beyond safe! How is he not hurting her?"

"I don't know, but she landed a blow herself last time. He's shying when she aims for his left side." Al pointed out.

It was true. Ed had to admit.

"I've had enough." Ed shouted and he clapped his hands when Scar stepped backwards, onto the bridge. Maya spun around as the ground beneath her shook and the supports holding the bridge up from the ground crumbled under its weight. Scar shook unsteadily as his footing became insecure and then glared at the group of them before he stumbled back and disappeared amongst the rubble.

Ed rushed over to an out of breath Maya. "Hey are you ok!" Al was released to hear the concern in his brothers voice for her well being. They both knew how tough dealing with scar was.

She wheeled to face them and the glare that beamed forth from her eyes was menacing, they both crumbled before her. "I said I didn't need your help. It was all under control!"

"Look here, I was only trying to-" Ed attempted to defend them.

"No means no! Now get lost!" She brushed off her trousers and straightened her shirt.

Al took this chance to try to smooth things over. "We're sorry for interrupting. My names Alphonse and this is my older brother, Edward. We ran into Scar earlier, before you showed up. We've had dealings with him before and were just concerned." He paused, to allow her time to digest the information.

"His name is Scar? Well that's creative." She paused, thinking over the information. "You said Edward? Would you happen to be the Elric brothers?" Her right eyebrow raised ever so slightly as she suggested this.

"Yes we are!" Ed replaced with a strong thumb pointing at himself and a huge grin. "And I'm the-"

She nodded. "Then you must be the FullMetal Alchemist. It's pleasing to finally meet you!" She held out a hand to Alphonse as Edward made his own puddle in the cobble stones.

"Umm, no, you're mistaken. It' my brother. He's the State Alchemist." Al said apologetically, glancing at Ed.

"I was only kidding. I just really wanted to see how he'd react!" She said with a smirk. "I-'m-"

"We should go somewhere most secluded. Scars still at large. Let''s got back to the hotel Al. You can join us; we'd like to talk with you."

Once they had settled in their hotel, Al made sure the girl had something to drink as Ed pulled out his notebook. "I'm sorry for my brothers rudeness. When he's found something he doesn't understand he becomes fully absorbed in his thoughts." She glanced towards Ed as he looked up and retorted back.

"Hey now Al, I'm just getting my list of questions ready! Cut me some slack." He stood up and extended his hand forward. "I'm Edward and I can be very pleasent when Al here doesn't cast me in a shadow of doubt. What's your name?"

She extended her hand forward and moved to grasp his left hand, which she found peculiar. As their fingers met she felt a shudder and suddenly found herself on the floor, reduced to her watery form. Shock spread though her and she hesitated to return to form in front of them. She'd never lost her form before. Was it her? Was it something Edward had done? Had he used Alchemy on her? Many questions formed in her mind and in order for her to comprehend the situation she'd have to return to her human form to get the answers. She reluctantly formed back into herself and back-stepped away from the brothers.

As soon as she could see again, she recognized the look of shock on their faces. She'd worn it many times before in the mirror as she had reformed herself after the accident. To protect her emotions, she put up a barrier between their gazes and her thoughts. _It's not you, It's not you. They haven't seen it before. It's ok._

Her drink lay spilled on the floor where she'd landed. She cast her eyes downwards and frowned.

"What happened? What was that?" Edward asked with intrigue. He seemed an excited child. Maya cringed.

"I'm Maya. I'm sorry. I- " She paused, she didn't know what to say! What could she say? There was no clear explanation for what had happened. She'd never had to try before. She didn't understand it herself really.

Al noticed her discomfort and moved in to consul her. "It's ok! Um, Brother, you should sit down." He took the spot on the lunch next to Ed and tried to look small... With little success. "Brother and I are just as perplexed as you I think. We've never seen an ability such as yours before! It's very interesting and unique."

"It's not an ability." She glowered. "It's a curse." Her voice was low and sharp, despite her volume.

"Could you tell us about it?" Ed sat quickly and pulled out his pen.

"Brother..."

Ed shot Al a look of dislike and Al backed off, but he could tell Maya wasn't going to be easily forth coming. There was something peculiar about her. Not just her physic, but her personality too.

"I'd rather not," she paused then lifted her chin slightly and asked her own question. "Did you use alchemy just then?"

"Ed wore a puzzled look as his brows angled in opposite directions. "Just then? No. I was honesty just shaking hands."

Al looked at Ed carefully and Ed threw up his hands in Defense. "I swear I didn't!"

Al looked back at Maya, and concern filled his armour, if an emotion could do such a thing. What had happened? Did she... melt? Maya's expression quickly turned from a hard mask of accusation to one of misunderstanding and confusion, pain and ... What was that last one? Fear?

"Ed, way don't we give her some time to rest. We can ask her our questions later. Maybe tomorrow?"

Ed saw how Maya's shoulders sagged and her face was downcast in some odd manner that wasn't familiar to him. He caught the tone of concern in his brothers voice and nodded. "Sorry. Why don't you take Al's bed and we can talk later. I don't want to force you into anything."

Maya stood up and walked towards the room. "Thanks." She said quietly and silently slipped behind the door and shut it. Once concealed by the barrier of the door offered she sagged against its structure and clasped to the floor, folding her arms over her head and sobbed silently. What they would never understand was how much her heart was breaking, if it was true that he hadn't used alchemy. She spent the rest of the day and the following night laying against the door in silent tears.

 **Ahh! It's been a busy month at college! But no fear! Chapter 5 is finally here! I hope you like the tension! Stay turned for more!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Ed, it's getting late. Do you think Maya is ok? She hasn't come out in a while and she hasn't eaten yet."

Ed looked up from his note book and nodded. "She's been in there a while. 6 hours? Why don't we get her some food."

Alphonse stood up. "Sure! That sounds like a gOod idea. I'll get something from the kitchens. DO you want something too?" Al offered, hand on the door.

"Sure, I'll have a medium well steak, steamed vegetables with extra butter, mashed potatoes and a bowl of rice with-"

"Sure, I'll get you the feast."

"Thanks Al! You're the best!" Ed said too enthusiastically, arms splayed in the arm as if relishing the taste of the food before it was even cooked.

"I'll be back soon. You should check on her."

"Sure, don't be long! I'm starved!"

Al stepped out and as soon as the door was shut Ed put his book down and approached the bedroom door. His hand hovered on the handle, unsure if he should disturb Maya's silence. But they needed to understand, how was it she was able to loose her form? What was she able to do? Why? Was it some form of alchemy? He gripped the handle with his left hand and felt a jolt of cold pass through the handle, into his hand and shock his nerves. Why was the handle so cold! He rubbed his hand on his pants, trying to warm it up. Knocking on the door before trying to enter, Ed called to her.

"Maya! Hey, are you ok in there?"

Silence.

Ed tried to open the door, griping the handle with his shirt between his fingers and the knob, but the knob wouldn't budge. It wouldn't even twist. He continued to call to her and pound the door until Al returned with the food.

"Hey brother, How's-"

"Al, help me out!" Es exclaimed, arms facing up at his sides. "I can't open the door and she's not answering me! I think it's frozen!"

Al placed the steaming food, forgotten on the table and approached the door. "Maya, It's me, Alphonse. Please let us in."

No response.

Ed frowned as his brother gripped the handle and shouldered the door, it falling easily beneath his weight. If only...

They entered the room, filled with a cold pressure and small snow flakes fell from the ceiling.

"What the-" Ed looked around in a confused manner.

"Where did all the snow come from, Wheres Maya?" Al looked at the untouched bed. "Maya-". The air shifted like a weight and the snow began to accumulate as it fell, coagulating in the entire of the room. The pressure in the air caused Ed to clasp his hands to his ears. Al watched the snow carefully as it melted and then reformed again into the shape of a girl - into Maya.

The snow, gone, the pressure eliminated. Maya opened her eyes and stared at Al and his brother. "I'm here." She said with a heavy voice. Her lips were turned down into a faint frown and her eyes looked at him with a lack of life. He could see a deep sadness in her gaze; a sadness so strong it caused her to feel as cold as snow? Perhaps. What had happened to her?

"Are- are you ok? We brought you dinner. Please, tell us. We want to help you."

"You cannot help me. I am beyond assistance. I have to continue on my own."

"No, you don't have to be alone! If here's anything we've learned on our travels is that you're never alone."

"I am though. You don't understand." She shifted her hand as if waving away a bug.

Before Al could think of a response, Edward piped in. "Look, we don't know what you've gone through because you won't tell us, but we saw how you fought with Scar and we have questions about that wether you are laying around moping about being alone or not."

"Brother, ple-"

"No Al. This is getting ridiculous." He gritted his teeth with frustration. "You have a weird ability that enabled you to combat Scar with little more than a bruise. And you can turn into snow! For Crying out loud, what happened for you to get that kind of ability? Is that alchemy?"

"Brother." Al said softly. Ed just glared at him. Once you got Ed riled up there was no way to reel him back in. Sometimes, he made things worse than before.

Maya stood there, as frozen as a statue, unmoving and silent. Al was getting worried. What brother said was really harsh. That wasn't the way he would go about getting answers. You had to be sympathetic to their concerns and be willing to wait. He watched Maya carefully, noticing her ands beginning to tremble.

Ed continued to glare at her, waiting for an answer. They weren't prepared for the storm he unleashed.

"IF YOU THINK I'D TELL THE LIKES OF YOU THEN YOU'RE SORELY MISTAKEN. JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A LITTLE STATE ALCHEMIST IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT!" The air bristled with her anger and Al couldn't help but shiver. "You'd - never - understand. I'm leaving. Thank you for the room." She stomped to the door and left, leaving chaos in her wake.

Al shook off the shock before Ed and grabbed his shoulder roughly. "Brother, how could you!" Ed gaped at him noiselessly. "How can you be so insensitive! You should know by now, that is not how we get answers!" Al shoved his shoulder lightly and moved to the door, hoping to catch her. She was nowhere to be seen. He had to find her! To apologize.

This was all wrong. Everything! She should never have come to the East City. She should never have come back with them. She should have been more careful! Her weird secret would be out in no time and there was no way she could face the Elric brothers again. Why did she seek them out in the first place?

Oh... Right. Sh lifted his palms and gazed at them solemnly. Her alchemy. She hadn't used it once during the battle with Scar. At least, not consciously. She thought back to when she'd stricken Scar with her leg. She'd landed the blow firmly and had impacted his rib cage. Her leg had been harder than water. More like ice. Had she done that with alchemy? Like Edward accused her of? Or was it more like how she made her body 'real' from water?

She looked at her palm with a focused energy, imaging herself as more solid than water. Like Ice. Harder, harder, enough to make glass shatter. Enough to hurt those who would hurt you. Ice.

She clamped her eyes shut, shrine he'd up her once with the effort of her thoughts and imagined her fingers forming crystals of ice. Her mind was devoid of alchemy. No circles, no chemistry. Just ice.

She felt her hand shiver and quickly opened her eyes. He finger tip gleamed in the starlight, shining like a cup of water. Transparent like glass. Water, Snow, Ice. All were related. All were different physical states of water.

Was thought that much different than alchemy? If alchemy was basic chemistry, altering the components and forms of the present elements into another, than her thoughts turning her body to ice was ultimately the same. Wasn't it?

She shook her hand out, the ice shimmering back into water, then her own look alike flesh. What ever it was, it wasn't normal. It wasn't human. She couldn't even... Touch others without tuning to a puddle. Silent tears pressed themselves against her eyes. How she longed to cry it all away.

The air brushed against her exposed arms as she walked along the empty streets beneath the dark sky. She didn't feel the chill they brought with them, but she felt the soft pressure press against her like the vibration of 2 molecules competing for space. She gazed upwards, watching the thin wisps of clouds pass over patches of stars like a veil. If only she could be human again. She felt ever so lonely. No one could understand. No one was like her. She continued to walk the dark streets aimlessly. She had no destination in mind. Just walk.

 **Thank you so much for following my story! I have been inspired of late and due to a change in schedule I had time to work on my writing! I am enjoying the light research into chemistry and exploring the human reflection process. PLease do feel free to leave reviews! But most of all, enjoy reading! Happy Valentines Day!**


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